The top ten cars at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed
 The Moving Motor Show’s top ten cars from The Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011.
Goodwood’s Festival of Speed is one of the most famous car festivals across the world, with motor enthusiasts turning up in their thousands to watch and admire as motor vehicles and contraptions of all different shapes, sizes and speeds are driven around the historic Goodwood circuit.
Car racing enthusiasts came from across the country for the motor racing four day extravaganza which took place during the first weekend of July to celebrate car history and to view the cars of the future.
Here then are the ten best cars on show at the world renowned race circuit from this year’s show, including the Morgan three wheeler as well as modern and slightly faster vehicles.
 First up is the Morgan Three Wheeler which was one of the louder cars attempting the famed Goodwood hill climb and one of the most unique vehicles on show due to its singular back wheel. Harry Morgan first came up with the concept of adding a motorcycle engine and a basic transmission to make one of the earliest motor contraptions at the start of the previous century.
Originally boasting the ability to reach almost 60 miles per hour, the modern day motor vehicle has a V-twin engine and a Mazda gearbox which offers five gears. The aerodynamic hull has been designed to protect the driver and passenger from the weather inclement whilst two rollover bars protect the passenger during the ride.
 Ferrari’s 458 Italia was probably the fastest car to make it up the famous Goodwood slope, no doubt because of the combination of technical precision, the design process and the speediness of the Italian manufactured car. The supercar hosts a dual clutch seven-speed gearbox which allows the car to reach 60 miles per hour in just 3.4 seconds.
The engine of the Ferrari 458 Italia is a 4499cc V8, allowing it to go flat out at a top speed of 202 miles per hour whilst the twin bone suspension ensures that no matter how quick the car is driven, the ride will be as smooth as would be expected from a Ferrari. Typically for Ferrari, the car comes in a limited range of colours, gold, black, red and white.
 Next on the list of the top ten cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed is the family car MG6. The car’s 1796cc 4-cylinder turbo engine has 16 valves giving the car 158 brake horse power whilst the gear box is a five-speed manual. Being targeted at families, the car is limited to 120 miles per hour as a top speed and needs 8.4 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour from a standing start.
A rigid bodyshell means that the car’s body can navigate any pot holes smoothly without causing issues for the driver or passengers involved, with MG prioritising safety and smoothness for family driving. While the car has increased in size the steering is as firm as ever, smooth enough to allow the driver to take control of any situation but firm enough to not let the car run away.
 The quietest car on the list is the Nissan Leaf, largely because the five door hatchback car is all electric, meaning no powerful engine is being revved when driving the vehicle. The 24 kWh battery allows the car to travel distances of between 73 miles per hour and 109 miles per hour depending on the car type.
Assembled in Japan and the United States of America, the Leaf won World Car of the Year for 2010 and is one of the most efficient EPA certified vehicles ever produced. With a top speed of 93 miles per hour the car takes just under ten seconds to go from 0-60 miles per hour.
 BMW’s 1-Series M Coupe has been described as the best car ever produced by the Bavarian motor giants since the original E30 M3 model. The lightweight vehicle allows the driver to open the taps before the electronic limiter steps in to stop the car’s speed exceeding 155 miles per hour.
A measure of the power of the car is its ability to reach 60 miles per hour in a highly respectable 4.9 seconds, thanks in part to the twin turbo-charged engine. The gear box is a six speed manual, allowing the driver to stay fully in control of the car no matter what speed the throttle allows the car to speed to.
 A hybrid car makes its first appearance on the list with the arrival of the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid. The six cylinder 333 brake horse power model is able to accelerate past 60 miles per hour in six seconds exactly and race to a top speed of 167 miles per hour.
One of the Panamera’s biggest selling points is the fact that it is an environmentally friendly car but it will attract the drivers who thrive on adrenaline due to the sheer power of the vehicle. The car’s interiors are well planned and perfectly executed, with the owner also happy to choose a wide range of optional extras to personalise the car.
 Described as a European-style Camaro, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has a six-speed manual which allows the car to reach 60 miles per hour in 3.3 seconds. The fastest speed the car can accelerate to is 205 miles per hour before it tops out, aided by 638 brake horse power and 604 ft of torque.
The ZR1′s body is made from a mixture of aluminium and carbon-fibre materials which are protected thanks to a clear-coating varnish. The engine design is a modified version of the LS3, which has been called the LS9. Included on the engine is a four lobe super-turbo with Behr intercoolers.
 One of the stars that consumers wanted to check out was the Fiat 500 Abarth, the Italian corporation’s answer to the mini which has always been a firm favourite with the British public. The small but powerful vehicle offers the motorist 160 brake horse power and a top speed of 131 miles per hour.
The new model is available in a sportier mode but it should not affect the handling and the steering, which is smooth and controlled. This gives the impression that the driver does not experience the real thrill of controlling the vehicle at every turn.
 Rolls-Royce’s much anticipated Phantom was shown off to the Goodwood public, with the six speed automatic vehicle assembled at the company’s Goodwood plant close to where the Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place. The oversized luxury car owner can select from 44,000 different paint variations and can have the internal leather decor coloured to their desire.
Fitted with coach doors, the luxurious vehicle offers a satellite navigation system which recognises a person’s voice, rear view camera, automatic sunroof, rear tables and its own refrigerator amongst other amenities. The car’s V12 engine was designed by BMW and produces 453 brake horse power.
 Finally on the list is a car making its European début, the Chevrolet Volt. General Motors’ electric hybrid is the most fuel efficient car in the USA and has a range of between 25-50 miles on its lithium-ion battery until it requires recharging. The total range for the car as part of its hybrid or fuel platform is 379 miles.
The five door hatchback offers the customer a 1.4 litre four cylinder engine which allows the motor vehicle to reach a top speed of 100 miles per hour and race from a standing start to 60 miles per hour in nine seconds when in its hybrid function. When in its electric mode it takes 9.2 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour.
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